User Rating Function?

This is something that just went through my mind as I noticed I have a rating in profile. So I thought I open a discussion, for people to voice their opinions.

I have to say I don't really like the ability to rate users or the fact that I can be rated because I have the feeling that can be abused. Somebody not sharing your opinion? Give him\her 1 star.
You don't like the thread somebody opened? Give him\her 1 star. I think it is just really annoying that you can get bad reputation through that.

Negative Ratings in my opinion should only happen if someone really behaves like a total dork and positive ratings should only happen for very intresting good made topics and posts.
I've been in a board with rating system before there people could only rate you when leaving a comment on your profile and even there it was removed because of the abuse of it.

Well, I don't think too many people take much notice of it, but yes, it is no doubt abused in the way you suggest, especially in fan-boy exchanges. There are even several highly respected members who generally hang out in the Paddock Club with 2 or 3 star ratings though, so I certainly wouldn't let it worry you.

An utterly meaningless feature, much like the thread rating feature as you can ignore users and avoid bad threads on the basis of their titles. Post rating would probably be more meaningful, in particular as fanboy threads have recently been outlawed.

An utterly meaningless feature, much like the thread rating feature as you can ignore users and avoid bad threads on the basis of their titles. Post rating would probably be more meaningful, in particular as fanboy threads have recently been outlawed.

Absolutely agree.All rating schemes sooner or later turn into fan group fight - upvoting and downvoting having nothing to do with quality and contents.